The Failure of Compromise: Immigration Edition

Time and time again, Democratic leaders have sought to accommodate the conservative Republican minority and craft compromise legislation. And in almost every case, it has led to bad or no results.

And in regards to the then-new immigration compromise:

Last year’s immigration reform bill scored 62 votes in the Senate, but conflicted with the conservative House bill. After the GOP’s anti-immigrant rhetoric drove the Latino vote away and contributed to the loss of Congress, momentum should have been with humane reform.

Yet key Senate Democrats concluded more compromise was needed with conservatives. The deal managed to upset immigrant advocates and anti-immigrant nativists, and is unlikely to become law.

The conservative minority will aim to obstruct legislation no matter how hard you try to accommodate them — short of full-blown capitulation (see Supplemental, Iraq).

Instead of more mushy compromises that impress no one (but the punditocracy) and go nowhere, it’s time for bold, principled proposals that have the potential to spark strong public support, and face down the failed conservative minority.

Otherwise, by futilely trying to make nice with obstructionist conservatives, their failure will become yours too.

But considering Trump said he wants to "drain the swamp," you might be surprised he picked someone who literally built the swamp. Scott Pruitt is a pioneer in turning government over to corporate special interests.

1300 Carrier manufacturing jobs are still going to Mexico. And the 800 jobs staying in Indiana aren't safe, because Carrier is moving to automate much of the work, with the help of the American taxpayer.

About Bill Scher

Bill Scher is the Online Campaign Manager at Campaign for America's Future, and the executive editor of LiberalOasis.com. He is the author of Wait! Don't Move To Canada!: A Stay-and-Fight Strategy to Win Back America, a regular contributor to Bloggingheads.tv and host of the LiberalOasis Radio Show weekly podcast. He has opinion articles that have been published by the New York Times, Minneapolis Star Tribune and Omaha World-Herald, and has made appearances on CNN, MSNBC and NPR among other TV and radio outlets.